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Goa Catholics seek Advani’s help
November 4, 2011
Goa, November 3, 2011: Disillusioned with the Congress-led ruling
coalition, Goa’s Catholics have made overtures to arch-foes the
pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP -Indian people’s party) in a bid
to get support for their demands.
An eight-member delegation, including priests and Religious, on Nov. 2
met BJP leader L K Advani who was on a two-day visit to the state as
part of what he calls his public-awakening tour against corruption.
Fr Max Gonsalves, who led the delegation, informed Advani of their
unsuccessful efforts to get the government to change the dates of the
International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which clashed with the feast
of Goa’s patron saint Francis Xavier.
The delegation also asked the BJP leader to prove his secular
credentials by considering Catholic candidates for upcoming assembly
elections.
Defending the decision to meet with the leader of a party that is
regularly accused of not being friendly towards Christians, delegation
member Joe Carneiro said: “As Congress is not paying heed to our
requests, we decided to meet the other side, hoping we may get some of
our aims done”.
The delegation also told the BJP leader that the state government only
pays lip service to the Christian community. They claimed the western
state does not have a minority commission and the government does little
to protect the rights and interest of Catholics.
During the 40-minute meeting, the Catholics also expressed their disgust
at rampant corruption, especially with regard to illegal mining in the
state.
The BJP leader promised to look into the matter and tried to reassure
them that he bears no enmity towards Catholics, pointing out that he was
educated by Catholics at St Patrick’s school in Karachi.
- ucan
http://persecutedchurch.info/2011/11/04/goa-catholics-seek-advani%E2%80%99s-help/
Editor-in-Chief: Joseph Dias
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